Post 63 flips script, pulls out late victory

By Jake Mann / Times-News correspondent

Published: Monday, June 3, 2013 at 01:09 AM.

Hamilton’s RBI, which turned out to be the eventual game-winner, came in a spot when his team needed it.

“We had the confidence as a team to be able to come back,” Hamilton said. “We always know that we can do it, we just have to put our minds to it and focus. We have to see each pitch as it comes in, and have to make something happen. When I see a teammate do it in front of me (Lloyd’s double), it gives me the confidence to do it, as well.”

Hamilton, Lloyd and Keene led Burlington-Graham with two hits apiece. Gunn and Lloyd had two RBI for Post 63.

Chase Mitchell and Braxton Shetley led Davidson County with two hits apiece.

GRAHAM — Burlington-Graham Post 63 and Davidson County were separated by one run when the two teams matched up last Thursday evening. On Sunday night, Post 63 came out on the victorious end with a come-from-behind 6-5 victory against Post 8 at Tom Zachary Field.

“We finally got a few hits when we needed them, key hits, to score a few runs,” said manager Johnny Slaughter. “We have been able to come back after giving up some runs. I think we can be a team that can battle and make some things happen.”

Post 63 (6-3) trailed 2-0 coming to bat in the bottom half of the fifth inning, but rallied for four runs to gain the lead. Adam Smith led off the inning with a sharply hit double down the third-base line. After moving to third base on a Brock Deatherage infield grounder, Smith scored on Ryan Hackett’s sacrifice fly to deep left field.

The rest of the inning’s damage came with two outs. Morgan Keene reached on a slow roller to second base, and then scored on back-to-back doubles by Dylan Isley and Adam Gunn. Gunn then scored on Jonathan Lloyd’s single to centerfield.

“Our pitching was pretty good, overall,” Slaughter said. “We have had a struggle when we bring guys in relief, and have lost some leads. But, we battled, and they battled hard to come up with the win (tonight).”

Post 8 (5-6) cut the deficit to 4-3 in the sixth inning, then regained the lead in the seventh when shortstop Drew Beaver took an Evan Friddle offering over the left-field fence for the 5-4 lead.

In the bottom half, Burlington-Graham rallied with two outs. Lloyd produced his second RBI of the game and tied it at 5-5 when his double off the wall in left field scored Kevin Burns, who had reached after being plunked with a pitch. Lloyd then scored when the next batter, Southern Alamance teammate Ryan Hamilton, smacked a double off the wall in almost the same spot.

Hamilton’s RBI, which turned out to be the eventual game-winner, came in a spot when his team needed it.

“We had the confidence as a team to be able to come back,” Hamilton said. “We always know that we can do it, we just have to put our minds to it and focus. We have to see each pitch as it comes in, and have to make something happen. When I see a teammate do it in front of me (Lloyd’s double), it gives me the confidence to do it, as well.”

Hamilton, Lloyd and Keene led Burlington-Graham with two hits apiece. Gunn and Lloyd had two RBI for Post 63.

Chase Mitchell and Braxton Shetley led Davidson County with two hits apiece.